In this installment of our critically-acclaimed (in Finland) series, Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy, we take a look at that most-important of position groups, the offensive line. The Irish will face some of the nation’s best O-lines in 2016, with Stanford and USC the best of bunch.

For The Irish: LT Mike McGlinchey (Sr.), 6’7″, 310 lbs.

If you need to know why Harry Hiestand might just be the most important coach at Notre Dame, you need look no further than the talent he has recruited and developed, year after year. Despite an aura of “inexperience” about the group, the nation’s ranking services are high, very high, on Hiestand’s charges. In McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson, Notre Dame has the best left-side in college football. Across the front, though, there is talent and depth in spades.

McGlinchey is athletic enough to play tight end, which explains his ability to transition so effectively from right tackle, his natural position, to left tackle this season. After redshirting his freshman year, McGlinchey played in all 13 games his sophomore and junior season and comes into 2016 with 14 starts under his belt. He is also on the Outland Trophy watch list. O-linemen are graded on blocking. They get a “plus” when they complete their blocking assignment and a “minus” when they don’t. McGlinchey is Notre Dame’s highest-graded lineman. For what it’s worth, ProFootballFocus has Notre Dame as their number one unit in the country for 2016, on the heels of a 2015 season in which they graded out +61.6 in run blocking and +18.6 in pass blocking.

For The Enemy: RT Zach Banner, USC (Sr.) 6’9″, 345 lbs.

My favorite stat about Zach Banner is not that he lost forty pounds since he started playing college football but that he is, at his lightest, twice as heavy as Adoree Jackson.

Banner’s a monster among monsters. Like WWE greats of old, when it was called the WWF, he is surprisingly agile for his size, with the ability to crash and pull with the best of them. With 27 starts under his belt, Banner has the experience and the physical attributes to back up his preseason accolades. He was a five-star recruit out of high school and the only knock against him is the potential he has to pack on the pounds. NFL talent runs in his blood as well. His father, Lincoln Kennedy, played eleven seasons in the bigs.

The post Offensive Line: Know Thyself, Know Thy Enemy appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

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I’ve saved the most debated question of all for last – Malik or DeShone, Zaire or Kizer, lefty or righty?

The position is still very much up for grabs as we head into fall camp. Coach Brian Kelly has said that while either player is capable of taking the team to a championship, the offense first and foremost will need to establish an identity based around the quarterback position.

Kelly hits the nail on the head with this approach. Last year, Ohio State struggled to find an identity offensively due to its inability to choose a quarterback, and build the offense around that quarterback’s skill set. Moving forward into fall camp it will be crucial for the coaches to choose a quarterback early in the process and begin building the offense around the chosen quarterback’s specific talents. But…which guy should they pick?

It would appear that the majority of fans, pundits and analysts are in favor of giving DeShone Kizer the nod.

The common argument presented is that Kizer has the most experience after helping lead the team to a 10 win season last year. While I’m not sure that a “right or wrong” answer exists when it comes to picking between two Maxwell Award watch-list-worthy QBs, I believe there is a stronger argument to be made to start Malik Zaire.

Former Irish quarterback, Brady Quinn, laid out his reasoning for believing that Notre Dame should start Zaire. His argument is largely based around seniority. While I agree with Quinn’s choice, I disagree with his logic.

My argument revolves primarily around Coach Kelly’s identity initiative, and the general idea that the current offensive unit – and team as a whole – suits Zaire’s talents and style better than Kizer’s.

It is important to define where each quarterback’s talents and style differ before diving any deeper. Both players can make all of the throws. Both players have demonstrated an advanced understanding of the offense. Zaire, however, is unquestionably the more talented and feared runner. His ability to create outside the pocket and the sheer threat of his running ability puts the offense and team in a better position to succeed.

Again, piggybacking off of Kelly’s rationale to cultivate an identity, the Irish are better positioned to identify as a heavy and dynamic rushing team with Zaire as the signal caller of the offense. Three main premises support this argument: 1) young and unproven wide receivers, 2) young and unproven right side of the offensive line, 3) control the time of possession to protect the defense.

INEXPERIENCE AT WIDE RECEIVER

Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) throws a pass against Navy during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, in South Bend, Ind. (AP / Jeff Haynes)

Last year DeShone Kizer had the luxury of a first round NFL draft pick wide receiver in Will Fuller. Any quarterback salivates over the incredible speed that Fuller possessed. This speed forced defenses to play a safety over the top of Fuller, thus allowing the run game to profit schematically. Kizer also had the advantage of throwing to two additional seasoned veterans in Chris Brown and Amir Carlisle.

This year the wide receiving corps returns only one real contributor from the prior season: Torii Hunter Jr. It has already been established that the cupboard is certainly not empty for wide receivers coach Mike Denbrock, but the 2016 team will likely not have the same ability to take the top off of a defense as consistently as they did last year with Fuller. Taking all of this into consideration, the young and inexperienced receivers will benefit from the strongest rushing attack possible, relieving them of any added pressures to contribute while also allowing them to flourish in vital play action calls.

I don’t believe that #NDFB would have a poor rushing attack with DeShone Kizer. Kizer showed an above average ability to run the ball last year, but I believe Zaire gives the Irish the most dynamic rushing attack possible. It is also important to note that unlike many fans, I do not buy into the common narrative that because Zaire is the more gifted runner, then by default Kizer must be the better passer. I reject this theory while recognizing that Zaire does not possess the 6-foot-4, 220 lbs. frame that Kizer and many great passers do. But we haven’t seen enough of Zaire through the air to determine who the better passer is. Again, taking into consideration the youth and inexperience of the current wide receiving core, I believe they would be put in the best position to succeed in an offense that identifies with a strong running quarterback giving the Irish the most dynamic rushing attack possible.

A POTENT RUSHING ATTACK HELPS O-LINE GAIN CONFIDENCE

Harry Hiestand and the offensive line have a difficult test this upcoming season in replacing first round draft pick, Ronnie Stanley, and second round draft pick (and likely NFL starter), Nick Martin.

Thankfully, Hiestand and the Irish have developed tremendous depth at the position and the likely replacements are extremely talented. However, having new full time starters at center, right guard and right tackle isn’t guaranteed to be a seamless transition. Similarly to the young and inexperienced receivers, over half of the offensive line will be largely inexperienced and benefit from the most formidable running game possible. Getting the big fellas up front into a rhythm running the ball will be crucial to the group’s success. Zaire gives the Irish the best rushing attack possible, while also providing the offense with the most elusive capability to avoid a pass rush. With three new full time starters on the offensive line, it is understood that there will be some breakdowns in pass protections. Zaire’s legs provide the best opportunity to break contain and create outside of the pocket, whereas Kizer is certainly not a sitting duck, but doesn’t deliver the running threat that Zaire does. Combining the loss of the vaunted home run threat in Fuller with the loss of key pass protectors in Stanley and Martin, the Irish offense is not positioned to have sustained success in long passing down situations regardless of who is behind center. Given the inexperience on the offensive line, it is important for the Irish to promote a rushing culture in order to put the offensive line in as many 2^nd and short and 3^rd and short situations as possible. Zaire is best fit to accomplish this task.

DEFENSE NEEDS TO STAY OFF THE FIELD

Over the last few years under defensive coordinator, Brian VanGorder, the defense has been… admittedly less than stellar. In order for #NDFB to be of playoff caliber this upcoming year, the defense must improve while also not be depended on too heavily. The offense can aid the defense by keeping them off the field and putting them in good field position. In order to do this the Irish must – you guessed it – develop the best rushing attack possible. By running the ball successfully, the Irish can maintain control over the time of possession, thus keeping the defense off the field.

In 2015 the Irish ranked 62^nd in rushing defense. If this trend continues (c’mon BVG…), the best rush defense will be our rush offense – if you pick up what I’m putting down. It will also be important to eliminate turnovers and sudden/quick change scenarios for the defense. In his limited action, Zaire has not recorded a turnover. This isn’t to say that he will never turn the ball over, but he has not shown any signs of being reckless or careless with the football. This bodes well for the defense. Zaire provides the best opportunity to sustain long drives while also showing a unique ability to throw the deep ball if necessary. It’s not only in the best interest for the offense to start Zaire, but also in the best interest for the defense.

Laid out for you is an argument to start Malik Zaire at quarterback for the 2016 season. I’m convinced that both men will play this year, but I believe that the talent assembled among the entire team is best positioned to succeed with a gifted runner behind center. Cultivating an identity around running the football effectively provides the best opportunity for success. One final thought to add to the argument: with a very capable back up in Kizer, Kelly and his “play calling committee” would no longer need to keep Zaire on a “pitch count” threshold for the number of times to run him. They could unleash a full-fledged rushing attack with no need to worry about how many hits the quarterback may take, thus increasing the threat and effectiveness of Zaire’s running abilities. I’m confident in either quarterback, but I believe that the team is best suited to identify as a run first offense and Zaire is the quarterback that provides the most dynamic rushing attack possible.

Cheers and Go Irish!

Previous “5 Questions” Posts

• Will The Irish Defense Improve Its Pass Rush?
• Will Another Star Receiver Emerge in ’16?
• Will Redfield Prove Five-Star Talent?
• Can Notre Dame Avoid the Injury Bug?

The post Who Should Start At QB? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Notre Dame lineman Jarron Jones, right, chases Florida State quarterback Jameis Winson during the second half. (Photo: Mark Wallheiser , Associated Press ).

Florida State and Notre Dame are on a collision course to meet at season’s end in the Orange Bowl, according to SB Nation’s Jason Kirk.

Kirk correctly predicted that the Irish would be Fiesta Bowl bound in 2015 after narrowly missing the playoffs, although he had Boise State as the opponent. (The Broncos would finish 9-4, although they’d win the far less glamorous Poinsettia Bowl.)

Kirk doesn’t like the Irish this year, because their schedule “has a bump too many” – although he has USC slotted as the second-best Pac-12 team, Michigan State as the second, third or fourth best Big 10 team and Stanford as the fourth best Pac-12 team. When does it get hard, Jason?!

Historically, the Irish have struggled against Florida State, going 2-6 all time. While the 1993 “Game of the Century” was memorable for Notre Dame fans, more recent clashes have included an 18-14 loss in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl (TOMMY NO!) and a 31-27 loss in Tallahassee (IT WASN’T A PICK) that took a once-promising 2014 season and set it into a tailspin.

While the prospect of two teams with ACC ties seems like a bit of a snooze for a New Years Six game, the Irish and Seminoles aren’t scheduled to meet again until November 2018. That game will be played in South Bend.

(For @SavedNDAClick, the answer to the headline is: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

Kirk slotted Irish opponents in the following bowls:

• Foster Farms: Wisconsin vs. Stanford (Pac-12 #4)
• Tax Slayer: Miami (ACC #3-#6) vs. Georgia
• Alamo: Texas (Big 12 #2) vs. USC (Pac-12 #2)
• Belk: Virginia Tech (ACC #3-#6) vs. Auburn
• Holiday: Michigan State (Big 10 #2-#4) vs. UCLA
• Military: NC State (ACC at large) vs. Temple
• Quick Lane: Syracuse (ACC at large) vs. Indiana

There were no bowl assignments for Nevada, Duke, Army and Navy.

Here are some other Irish headlines:

• Irish Still in the Mix for 2017 Top OT – Jedrick Wills, a four-star tackle from Kentucky, pared his list of teams to eight schools Wednesday. Wills eliminated Ohio State and Michigan State from consideration, but Notre Dame survived the cut. Wills is a “fixture” at Kentucky sporting events, but the Irish have recruited exceptionally well under the guidance of offensive line coach Harry Hiestand. Steve Witfong, a national recruiting analyst for 247 Sports, even believes Wills is Notre Dame bound – although that is, at this point, a minority opinion.
• 

  Parker Boudreaux

  Boudreaux Out of The Hospital – Freshman offensive guard Parker Boudreaux has been released after two days from a South Bend hospital while he continues to recover from viral meningitis. This is great news, considering you couldn’t blame Irish fans for fearing the worst when word first leaked on Twitter that Boudreaux had was a teammate called a “serious brain infection.”

• Georgia OL To Announce His Pick At The Opening Camp – Andrew Thomas, who is considered the top offensive lineman prospect in the Peach State, will choose between Georgia, Notre Dame and Clemson on July 9 or 10 while attending Nike’s camp, The Opening. The smart money is on the Bulldogs to land the 6-foot-5, 318 pound mass of man.
• No Significant Improvement In Smith’s Damaged Knee – ESPN’s Ed Werder said the damaged nerve in former Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith’s knee has shown no “significant improvement.” It looks like 2016 will be a lost year for the Dallas Cowboys’ second round draft pick.

The post Could FSU Grudge Match Await Irish At Season’s End? appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

South Bend Tribune Photo/GREG SWIERCZ

Harry Hiestand is arguably the most coveted assistant in the Brian Kelly coaching cabinet. One could argue that he’s certainly not the flashiest (hey there Prince Sanford), but his presence has significantly improved the ground game, offensive line recruiting and development, and #NDFB as a program. Let’s dive into an eight-year rabbit hole worth of running statistics – four “Pre-Harry” and four “Post-Harry.”

From 2008-2011, the running game ranged from mediocre to piss poor. These four years established an average of 131 rushing yards per game, 4.0 yards per rush, 15 rushing touchdowns per year, and 1,674 rushing yards per year.

The worst year came in 2008 (oh Charlie…) where the Irish ranked:

• 101^st in both yards per rush (3.3) and rush yards per game (110)
• 102^nd in rushing touchdowns (11)
• 97^th in total rush yards (1,426)
• Obligatory bullet note to apologize for even compiling these numbers and putting them on virtual paper.
• Bonus points for anyone who can guess the 2008 offensive line coach who helped orchestrate this stellar running campaign…John Latina. Latina was unsurprisingly let go following the 2008 season, and recently retired from coaching this past February after serving as the offensive line coach at Duke.

In the years following Hiestand’s hiring, the Irish have averaged 177 rushing yards per game, 4.8 yards per rush, 22 rushing touchdowns per year, and 2,299 rushing yards per year. These averages show improvements of 46 rush yards per game, 0.8 yards per rush, 7 rushing touchdowns per year, and a solid 625 rushing yards per year. This past year proved to produce possibly the most effective running game in over a decade wherein the Irish offensive line helped propel the run game to:

• 28^th in rush yards per game (208)
• 8^th in yards per rush (5.6)
• 30^th in rushing touchdowns (29)
• 27^th in total rush yards (2,699)

Hiestand was able to drastically improve these numbers by developing the talent he inherited when hired, but also by stocking the cupboard with top talent across the country.

From 2008-2011, Notre Dame recruited 14 offensive linemen (not including unranked/preferred walk-ons). Among these 14 linemen were eight athletes who were considered 4-star talent according to 247Sports composite rankings. Five were ranked 3 stars and one was a 2 star.

Hiestand has established himself as one of the most effective recruiters as it relates to his position group. As evidence, look no further than the improvements made since his arrival in South Bend.

From 2012-2015, his recruiting efforts manufactured 15 letters of intent from offensive linemen.  This haul included twelve 4 stars, three 3 stars, and no player ranked lower (again, not including unranked/preferred walk-ons). Hiestand undoubtedly has recruiting trending in the right direction.

Credit: Andrew Ivins / BGI

Let us not forget about the incoming 2016 class. A trio of offensive linemen mammoth human beings: 4 star Tommy Kraemer, 4 star Liam Eichenberg, and 3 star Parker Boudreaux will soon be joining the Irish.

Kramer was the closest offensive lineman to have the coveted 247sports composite 5 star ranking with a final grading of .9819, good enough for 27^th best player in the country. Eichenberg also graded within the top 100 players with a final ranking at 80^th.

Without getting too carried away (because college football fans never do that), it would be no surprise if Hiestand added to his list of first round draft picks with Kraemer. Kraemer is already listed at 6’6 and 309 lbs. as a high school senior. To put that into perspective, he already outweighs every starting offensive linemen from Notre Dame’s 2012 team. Hiestand has demonstrated a distinct ability to attract the country’s top talent to South Bend, which has given the Irish the luxury of formidable depth at the offensive line position that it likely hasn’t seen in decades.

The positive residual effect of Hiestand’s presence doesn’t stop at rushing stats or recruiting rankings, but also the number of penalties committed by offensive linemen.

With the aid of @andrewwinn, I analyzed every Irish offensive penalty over the past eight years (103 games total). The data suggests that an offensive line coached by Hiestand is far more technically sound than those that haven’t been blessed by his infinite wisdom.

From 2008-2011, the offense committed a total of 176 penalties, of which 80 were specifically attributed to an offensive linemen (disclaimer: not all penalties listed were directly credited to a specific player – for example these four years included 13 holding penalties where no player was specifically named).  Of these 80 penalties committed by offensive linemen, 33 were false starts, and 34 were holding calls.

Photo credit: Irish Sports Daily

From 2012-2015 the offense committed a total of 153 penalties, of which 79 were attributed to offensive linemen (throughout these more recent four years all holding calls were attributed to a specific player).  False starts were admittedly far more frequent with 59 occurrences. However, over the course of these four years the offensive line was astonishingly only credited with 10 holding calls.  The false starts may have increased since Notre Dame has had six quarterbacks under center in Hiestand’s four years. It may also be due to Hiestand’s more aggressive approach to pass blocking. The decrease in holding penalties is truly remarkable, especially when one considers a Hiestand line has averaged only 2.5 holding penalties per year.  This is a testament to the progress and development of the offensive line as a unit under Harry Hiestand.

Obviously, Hiestand is not the single determining factor in the many improvements made over the course of eight years.  One would be remiss to not shed light on how far #NDFB has come as a program: the institution of training table, the addition of analysts to the coaching staff, the facility updates, etc. Brian Kelly deserves a ton of credit for putting his assistant coaches in opportunities where they can flourish and succeed.

With all of this being said, the old adage that “it all starts up front” still holds true even in today’s spread offense era. Four years’ worth of significant and consistent progress suggests it is no fluke that Harry Hiestand continues to develop one NFL draft pick after another (Chris Watt, Zack Martin, soon to be Ronnie Stanley and Nick Martin).

Couple Hiestand’s developmental gift with his ability to draw top high school talent to South Bend, and #NDFB has one of the best in the biz. The Irish were able to quickly recover from the loss of beloved assistant coach Tony Alford this time last year, but here’s to hoping Hiestand has found his home for the long haul.

The post Harry Hiestand’s Impact Is Unmistakeable appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

This week, we here at HerLoyalSons are previewing your 2016 Fighting Irish in the run-up to Saturday’s Blue Gold game. To make the task manageable and add some degree of coherence (I know, you don’t come here for coherence), we’re evaluating the team by position-group. Today, we start with the offensive line.

If the Irish are to surpass the performance of the squad from 2015, they will need to replace massive losses along the offensive line. Gone is Ronnie Stanley at left-tackle, a likely first round pick in the NFL draft, now just weeks away. Gone is Nick Martin, a probable second-rounder, at center. This will be Coach Harry Hiestand’s first season, and Coach Kelly’s, if you can believe it, without a Martin on the line. Gone, too, is Steve Elmer, perhaps too soon, to chase his dreams in politics and business.

Thankfully, mass, and talent, are in abundance at Notre Dame. While there will be shuffling to account for the losses, and a drop in game snap-based experience, no one can really quibble or complain about a likely starting five of Mike McGlinchey at left tackle, Quenton Nelson at left guard, Sam Mustipher at center, Colin McGovern at right guard, and Alex Bars at right tackle.

McGlinchey, a niggling penchant for false starts aside, is about as solid a replacement for the quality lost in Ronnie Stanley as one will find. At 6’7 and 310 pounds, McGlinchey has the athletic ability to play tight end and should have little difficulty adjusting to his new position. This move, theoretically, gives the Irish the best left side of the O-line in the country, as junior Quenton Nelson, a returning starter at left guard, could be the first Irish guard to be selected in the NFL draft’s first round since Aaron Taylor. Nelson is also not small. He’s 6’5″ and 330 pounds.

Sam Mustipher, a 6’2, 305 pound junior, is the likely starter at center. He’s the end of the likelihood, however, as the staff seem still uncertain about the line’s right. Alex Bars, if any, is most likely to appear, and at right tackle. A junior, Bars, 6’6″ and 320 pounds, was more than capable when called upon last season to fill in when Nelson went down with an ankle injury at Clemson. Thus, the guard position is most uncertain, with McGovern and Hunter Bivin fighting it out. McGovern, a 6’4″ 315 pound senior, is fighting concussions, but he seems more likely, to me, than his fellow senior, who stands 6’5″ and weighs  308 pounds.

Parker Boudreaux (Photo: CNN)

There is, of course, the potential for one of the three freshmen, arriving in June, to upset the entire thing. Tommy Kraemer, Parker

Boudreaux and Liam Eichenberg are all monsters and have the tangibles and talent to break into the mix, especially at right guard. Kraemer is 6’5″ and 310 pounds. Eichenberg is 6’6″ and 300 pounds, and coming off meniscus surgery on his right knee. Parker Boudreaux, a natural guard, is 6’5″ and 291 pounds. Of the three, he is my tip as most-likely to break in, but only if he makes huge strides in improving his footwork.

One of the things of which I am fond includes comparing the Irish to Alabama. Face it, they’re the gold-standard. ON the field, mind you, only on the field. But, if you look at our likely front five versus their likely front five, it seems that we’re making a weighty case for supremacy:

Left Tackle: Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame), 6’7″ 310 lbs. v. Cam Robinson (Alabama), 6’6″ 327 lbs.

Left Guard: Quenton Nelson (Notre Dame), 6’5″ 325 lbs. v. Ross Piershbacher (Alabama), 6’4″ 304 lbs.

Center: Sam Mustipher (Notre Dame), 6’2″ 305 lbs. v. J.C. Hassenauer (Alabama), 6’2″ 297 lbs.

Right Guard: Colin McGovern (Notre Dame) 6’4″ 315 lbs. v. Alphonse Taylor (Alabama), 6’5″ 345 lbs.

Right Tackle: Alex Bars (Notre Dame), 6’6″ 320 lbs. v. Charles Baldwin (Alabama), 6’5″ 297 lbs.

So, that’s 1,575 pounds for the Irish, and 1,570 pounds for the Elephant. Admittedly, that’s about one decent breakfast of difference, but hey. Now I’m hungry.

The post Blue Gold Game Preview: Offensive Line appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Liam Eichenberg, Courtesy Vimeo.com

The Irish Sports Talk podcast recently hosted Notre Dame offensive lineman commit Liam Eichenberg on its show, and the 4-star offensive lineman from St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio) didn’t mince words when it came to a fellow lineman who was offered a Notre Dame scholarship:

Host: A couple of weeks ago there were reports of a few other linemen that supposedly got offered for Notre Dame. Notre Dame already has three linemen. You want to tell us about that how that went down?

Eichenberg: Parker [Boudreaux] put in the group message between Tommy [Kraemer], him and myself. It said that this kid got offered. I mean, I spent a week with him down at the Under Armour All-American game. He’s a great athlete and stuff. But mentally, I just didn’t think he had what it took. He was always late. He just forgot a lot of stuff. I didn’t think that was the kind of guy that Coach Hiestand would want. We were just surprised that Coach Hiestand would offer him.

Jauan Williams / 247Sports.com

Although no names are mentioned, it’s not hard to deduce who Eichenberg is talking about.

The Under Armour All-America game included 18 offensive linemen, including Eichenberg. Fifteen are already committed to other schools. Of the three remaining players, two hold a Notre Dame offer. Jauan Williams, a four-star offensive lineman, reported a Notre Dame offer on Jan. 5.

For what it’s worth, Eichenberg is considered a better prospect than Williams, with the former being the 9th best offensive tackle and the latter being ranked 17th, according to 247 Sports. So is Kramer, who is ranked third on that list. Boudreaux is ranked lower, but plays guard.

If I’m to speculate, I guess Eichenberg knows Williams is not taking his Notre Dame offer seriously and will probably attend another school. It’s easy to criticize a guy you’ll never play alongside.

It’s refreshing, however, to hear an athlete give his (supposedly) honest assessment of a competitor. Players are being less blunt these days because they’ve weighed the risk and reward of speaking out. The media recognizes that any controversial viewpoint is sustaining fodder for the various news and opinion programs that fill the day – and that their viewers will happily consume it. Thus, otherwise benign comments are sometimes distorted to keep eyeballs on the television or computer screen.

What if I had titled this post “Eichenberg criticizes future coach’s judgment”? That’s certainly one interpretation of Eichenberg’s comments, although I don’t think that was the teenager’s intention at all.

Clemson’s Hunter Renfrow (13) makes a catch over Notre Dame’s KeiVarae Russell (6). SBT Photo/ROBERT FRANKLIN

When Eichenberg joins his college team, Notre Dame will talk to him – and all his fellow student-athletes – about being careful about what they tell the press. Everything can be misconstrued, or blown out of proportion. They may use the example of KeiVarae Russell, who, in the midst of complimenting DeShaun Watson, called the Clemson quarterback “not overly superior” and suggested he’s played against better.

The headline on Tigernet.com, a Clemson fansite, read: “Notre Dame CB on Watson: ‘I don’t think he’s a top five quarterback.'”

It’s an accurate headline, sure. But it intentionally skews the statement to suggest it was a straight dis, when the overall comment is pretty laudatory. Perhaps this headline was put on a bulletin board in the Tigers’ locker room or sent to Watson for extra motivation.

Eichenberg will probably be more measured in his assessment of opponents, teammates or coaches by the time he is allowed to talk to the Notre Dame beat writers. In a way, that will be our fault. We clicked on the articles, which increased the ad revenue, which suggested to writers that, in the competition for eyeballs, outrageous sells much better than nuance. Coaches see the comments – or perhaps they’re asked about them – and they encourage the student-athlete to say fewer things that cause them unnecessary headaches.

What we’re left with is guys like Don Carman, who recognized that most beat reporters don’t care about introspection. They just want to fill column inches and go home to their families. It was easier to say a lot of nothing than a bit of something.

I hope Eichenberg has the courage to continue to be candid with the press and, by extension, the fans, although I wouldn’t blame him if he realizes the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.

Vectorbelly.com

The post Liam Eichenberg’s Refreshing Bluntness appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

PODCAST

• Irish Illustrated (F): Irish hit spring stride (50:55)
• ND Insider: Podcast: ND Insider recruiting update 4-2 (10:42)

RECRUITING – OFFERED

• Bruin Report Online ($): Video: Lucas at The Opening ( AZ RB Chase Lucas)
• Dawg Post (F): Big get for Dawgs – Price commits ( GA OT E.J. Price)
• Irish247 (F): Robinson, family excited about Notre Dame offer ( KY CB Davonte Robinson)
• Irish Turning Point: The buzz buzz
• Scout (F): Offers coming in for Ulmer, Robinson ( KY CB Davonte Robinson)
• Scout ($): 4-star TE Angeline planning Penn State return (PA Cary Angeline)
• Scout ($): 4-star TE Angeline gets Michigan fill (PA Cary Angeline)
• Scout ($): ND history on, off field impresses 4-star TE (PA Cary Angeline)
• Scout ($): Fulton likes LSU’s DB track record ( LA CB Kristian Fulton)
• Slap the Sign: Notre Dame offers ’17 Florida offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons
• USC Football.com: Trevon Sidney steals the show ( CA CB, also CA WRs Tyler Vaughns and Dylan Crawford)

RECRUITING – ND INTERESTED, NO OFFER

• Big Red Report (F): Brendan Scales talks about Nebraska offer ( MO TE)
• Big Red Report (F): D.J. Morgan adds Nebraska offer ( CA S)
• Irish Illustrated ($): LaBruna visits dream school (CA QB Andrew LaBruna, no rating yet)
• Scout ($): Alloway has two on top ( CA WR Damian Alloway)
• Show Me Mizzou ($): Mizzou offer for Scales ( MO TE Brendan Scales)

CURRENT TEAM

• CSN Sportsnet Chicago: Notre Dame won’t be surprised by Will Fuller’s growth
• Inside the Irish: Opportunities await Notre Dame’s running backs
• Inside the Irish: Spring practice breakdown: A look inside (finally!)
• Irish247 ($): Irish staff navigating through quarterback competition
• Irish247 (F): Denbrock: ‘(QB) is going to be a hard decision to make’
• Irish247 (F): Smythe leads the way for Irish at tight end
• Irish Illustrated (F): From a one in a thousand chance to…
• One Foot Down: Notre Dame football – Spring practice recap for April 1
• Rant Sports: 5 questions for Notre Dame football during 2015 spring practice

COACHING

• CBS Sports: Power Five college football coach rankings: The top 25 (Brian Kelly is #13)
• Irish Illustrated (F): The village voice(s)
• Irish Illustrated (F): Sanford scouting style, substance

IRISH IN THE NFL

• Bleacher Report (Monaco): Notre Dame football: DaVaris Daniels, Kendall Moore eye NFL careers
• ESPN: Atlanta Falcons waive safety Zeke Motta
• Irish247 (F): Daniels ready for next step
• Irish247 (F): Boosting draft stock was Koyack’s Pro Day focus
• Irish Turning Point: Pro Day results
• State of the Texans (F): Vince Wilfork is “here for Houston” (Louis Nix)

MISC.

• USA Today: College football playoff will keep weekly rankings

The post Morning Roundup: April 3, 2015 appeared first on Her Loyal Sons.

Coach Hiestand joined Coach Kelly’s staff in 2012, after remarkable a 2011 season in which his young charges at Tennessee (2010-2011) put up a season in which they went from 116th, nationally, in sacks-allowed, to 34th. What’s really impressive is that Tennessee ran over 400 passing plays that season. Before Tennessee, Hiestand coached the O-line at Chicago (2005-2009), where his 2005 and 2006 teams were division champs.

While the 2012 season at Notre Dame was one of superlatives for all the position-groups and many players, and while it would unfair to send all the credit his way for the performance of players he neither recruited nor developed, it nevertheless bears noting that 2012 was ND’s best rushing year since 1996 in terms of yards per carry (4.9) and number of 200+ rushing games (7). While those stats took a hit last season, Coach Hiestand’s men notched what may in fact be a more impressive statistic as they allowed only eight sacks over twelve games. Again, credit to Tommy Rees for getting rid of the ball and to Coach Martin for calling the right plays, but eight sacks of a QB as (im-)mobile as Tommy against the competition they faced is nothing short of terrific.

It’s on the recruiting trail, though, that Coach Hiestand is having a perhaps even greater impact, demonstrating as he has an ability to attract top-level talent. In the 2014 cycle, Hiestand netted four players (Bars, Mustipher, Nelson, Byrne) from four different states, to include Quenton Nelson, the 29th-ranked player by Rivals.com. In 2013, Hiestand again brought in four players (Montelus, McGlinchy, Fuller, Elmer) who have already made or will make out-sized contributions along the line.

While the chances of any one player making it to the NFL are rather small, Coach Hiestand has enjoyed considerable success in getting his guys to the next level, too. In this year’s draft, alone, Coach Hiestand has six (!) former players. Along with four Tennessee players, Coach Hiestand’s men going into the draft include Chris Watt and Zack Martin, arguably ND’s best O-lineman in the last several years. Watt calls Coach Hiestand “the best thing ever to happen” to the position-group.

Clearly, Coach Hiestand brings a lot to the table and Irish fans have every reason to expect continued excellence along the line. Last season’s mediocre rushing numbers, in fact, may turn out to have been an anomalous down-tick, so long as Harry’s at the helm.

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